Ukraine detains 'mole' for sharing troops locations for Russian missiles
According to Ukraine's security service, the serviceman was allegedly helping Moscow attack Ukrainian troops in Russia's Kursk region.
Ukraine's SBU security service on Tuesday said it had detained a serviceman who was allegedly helping Moscow attack Ukrainian troops in Russia's Kursk region.
According to AFP, which cited the SBU's statement on Telegram messenger, the serviceman was giving away locations of Ukrainian soldiers to the Russians.
"While at the front, the 'mole' was preparing coordinates for the aggressor's missile and bomb attacks on the locations of Ukrainian troops," the SBU said.
It added that the serviceman had been recruited by Russia's GRU military intelligence service via Telegram, where he had posted comments in support of Russia.
The GRU usually does not comment on SBU statements about recruited agents and made no public comment on Tuesday, reported AFP.
Also Read | Ukrainian president warns of Russian push to surround troops as ceasefire negotiations continue
Last year, Ukraine launched a daring cross-border incursion into Kursk in August. It was the largest attack on Russian territory since World War II.
Within days, Ukrainian units had captured 1,000 square kilometers (386 square miles) of territory, including the strategic border town of Sudzha, and taken hundreds of Russian prisoners of war.
Kyiv was hoping the Russian city would act as a bargaining chip in future peace talks and force Russia to divert troops away from its offensive in eastern Ukraine. But Ukraine's troops in Kursk have seen their position worsen in recent weeks as Russian forces pushed back.
Also Read | Are Ukrainian soldiers ‘surrounded’ by Russians in Kursk? Kyiv responds to Donald Trump's claim
Russia claims that it surrounded Ukrainian soldiers in Kursk – a charge rejected by Kyiv.
Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump had appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin to spare the lives of thousands of Ukrainian troops that he said were in a “very bad and vulnerable position”, without elaborating what he was referring to.
However, in response, Putin had said that he would spare the lives of Ukrainian troops in the Kursk region if they laid down their arms.
(Inputs from AFP)
